Various national 2009 rankings again affirm, confirm and publicize Whitman’s excellence and value. Among many highlights, Whitman is a “Best Value” school and the professors rank No. 9 in the nation according to The Princeton Review’s annual guide, “The Best 371 Colleges.” In addition, Washington Monthly ranks Whitman 13th in the nation, the Forbes ranking is 20th, and the US News & World Report ranking is 36th.

“While the rankings confirm what we as a campus community know about Whitman, they are valued by and important to prospective students and families in their college search process,” President George Bridges said. “So it’s particularly gratifying to be recognized for such aspects as high retention and graduation rates, levels of student involvement in research and creative projects and extraordinary faculty. Whitman’s long-standing on continued success is a direct reflection of the dedicated efforts of our staff, faculty and alumni.”

Here’s a round-up of the various rankings:

Washington Monthly

The Washington Monthly describes itself as “…an independent voice, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows.” Its ranking methodology is based in large part on what the publication calls “social mobility, research, and service measures.”

It favors institutions that “…produce groundbreaking research and new inventions, serve as engines of social mobility for first-generation college students, and mold the minds of future leaders.”

The Princeton Review

“I have known for nearly three decades that the faculty of Whitman College is one of the very best in the nation, and I am always delighted when its members receive the kudos they rightly deserve,” said Tim Kaufman-Osborn, Whitman’s provost and dean of the faculty.

Among categories in which Whitman landed in the Top-20:

11 – Best Classroom Experience

12 – Best College Theater

12 – School Runs like Butter

15 – Happiest Students

16 – Best College Radio Station

19 – Best College Library

20 – Best Quality of Life.

To arrive at its findings, The Princeton Review asked 122,000 students at the 371 colleges to rate their schools on dozens of topics and to report on their campus experiences. Read more about it here.

U.S. News and World Report

Whitman remains in the top 40 of all national liberal arts colleges, ranked at No. 36 out of 266 institutions. The U.S. News rankings spotlight schools that have “outstanding examples of eight types of academic programs that have been shown to enhance learning: first-year experiences, learning communities, writing in the disciplines, senior capstone, study abroad, internships or cooperative education, opportunities for undergraduate research, and service learning.”